Artificial Intelligence

Generative AI refers to technology that is capable of creating content like text, images, audio, etc. These generative works are tricky to cite because they cannot always be directly reproduced by another person using the same tool. 

As a best practice, you should acknowledge your use of the generative AI tool in the methods section of your paper (or other relevant section if needed).

Many citation styles do not account for AI created content in their existing guidelines. The following page has documented the most recent citation methods from the most popular citation styles.

Reference to specific chats

Reference list

AI Company Name. (Year, month day). Title of chat in italics [Description, such as Generative AI chat]. Tool Name/Model. URL of the chat

OpenAI. (2025, May 30). Fundamentals of English grammar [Generative AI chat]. ChatGPT. https://chatgpt.com/EXAMPLE

In-text citation

(AI Company Name, Year)
(OpenAI, 2023)

Reference to an AI tool

Reference list

AI Company Name. (year). Tool Name/Model in Italics and Title Case [Description e.g. Large language model]. URL of the tool

Microsoft. (2025). Copilot [Large language model]. https://copilot.microsoft.com/

In-text citation

(AI Company Name, Year)

(Microsoft, 2025)

For more information visit the APA Style Blog "Citing generative AI in APA Style".

Notes

Generated content by Name of tool, Publisher, Date content was generated, URL

1. Text generated by ChatGPT, OpenAI, Mar 20, 2023, https://chat.openai.com/chat

OR

Name of tool, prompt response, OpenAI, Date content was generated.

1. ChatGPT, response to "Create a list of scholarly databases used to find articles in the field of political science," OpenAI, March 20, 2023.

Author-date

(Name of Tool, Date)
(ChatGPT, March 20, 2023)

When using author-date do not cite ChatGPT in the reference list unless a publicly available link is created.

For more information visit the Chicago Manual of Style Online "Citation, Documentation of Sources."

MLA does not recommend treating a generative AI tool as an author. Reference lists begin with the title or description of the source.

Reference list

"Description of generated work" prompt. Name of tool, version name, Publisher, Date content was generated, URL.

"Create a list of scholarly databases used to find articles in the field of political science" prompt. ChatGPT, 14 Mar version, OpenAI, 20 Mar. 2023, chat.openai.com/chat.

In-text citation

("Shortened description")
("Create a list of scholarly databases")

For more information visit the MLA Style article "How do I cite generative AI in MLA style?"